Shoetree



Patented Apr. 5, 1938 PATENT oFFlcE SHOETREE Walter G. Downing, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application November 14, 1935, Serial No. 49,788

2 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe trees of the type employing wooden heel and toe portions operated by toggle links.

Shoe trees of the foregoing type have been found to be especially well adapted to preserving the shoe last and thereby add appreciable comfort to the user of the shoe. However, various disadvantages have heretofore been inherent in such types of trees by virtue of improper adjustment and alignment of its component parts.

It is one object of my invention to provide an improved tree of the type above mentioned whereby its eiective length may be conveniently adjusted and maintained as well as effectively maintaining the heel and toe portions in proper angular and axial alignment. A further object is to accomplish the foregoing features by improved means which is simple in construction, operation and maintenance without in any Way 20 encumbering or restricting the flexibility of the tree or causing annoyance to the user when applying the tree to a shoe.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from the follow- 25 ing description of the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective of a tree embodying my invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively transverse and 30 longitudinal sectional views through the toe portion of the tree.

In the particular embodiment of the invention which is disclosed herein merely for the purpose of illustrating one specific form among possible others that the invention might take in practice, I have shown in Fig. 1 wooden heel and toe portions I and 2 respectively, shaped so as to substantially conform to the shoe last and provided with a raised instep element 3. The toe portion is preferably hollowed as indicated at 4 in Figs.

2 and 3. A pair of toggle links 5 and 6 are pivotally connected together and one of the same is turned upwardly and curved to provide a nger 4 loop 1. Link 6 is received within a suitable recess 8 tapered inwardly to a point adjacent a transverse pivot pin 9. This groove permits the heel to be appreciably tilted to facilitate insertion of the tree in the shoe.

50 Links 5 are pivotally connected as at I II to a bolt I l which as shown in Fig. 3 has threaded engagement with a sleeve I2 suitably imbedded and secured in the instep portion 3. A simple wing nut I3 made preferably of plain at material 55 bent up at its ends is threaded on bolt II and adapted to engage the rear face I4 of the tongue portion 3, the nut thereby being most convenient for accessibility and manipulation while the tree is positioned in the shoe. A pin I5 driven into the wood and through an opening in sleeve I2 holds the latter.

My improved tree as above described permits automatic angular and axial alignment of the toe and heel portion as well as adjustment for length, merely by loosening nut I3 and rotating the heel and toe portions relative to each other and then inserting the' tree within the shoe and expanding the same by pressing handle 'I down. Nut I3 may then be rmly screwed against surface I4 so as to maintain not only the proper length adjustment but also the proper angular and axial alignment of members I and 2 whereby it will be impossible with any reasonable usage to have heel portion I assume an undesirable angle in the shoe which if suchk should occur would cause probable injury to the shoe. The position of the nut andthe character thereof will conveniently and expeditiously permit such fastening operation to be performed, and this will be accomplished with the parts in most accurate relation as to angularly, axial alignment and length. These will thereafter remain constant, regardless of the frequency with which the tree may be removed or inserted.

From the foregoing disclosure it is seen that I have provided an extremely simple and yet highly effective tree for insuring maximum benecial use with minimum effort or thought on the part of the user, consistent with the assumption of reasonable intelligence on the part of a user of a tree of this type which is especially adapted for shoes of high quality and style.

It will of course be understood that various changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe tree having wooden heel and toe portions, toggle links for moving said portions to and from each other, one of said links extending upwardly and being curved around to provide a iinger hold, means for pivotally connecting said linkage to said heel portion, a bolt adjustably threadedly connected in said toe portion and having pivotal connection with said linkage, and a nut on said bolt interposed between said pivotal connection thereof and said toe portion for engagement with the latter to maintain said bolt in xed relation to said toe portion and thereby prevent rotation of the linkage and heel portion around the bolt axis.

2. A shoe tree having Wooden heel and toe portions, linkage for moving said portions to and from each other, means for pivotally connecting said linkage to said heel portion including a Vertically extending slot in the heel portion tapered inwardly from a forward face of the heel With 10 the pivot located near the deepest portion of said 

